MILAN, Italy — The United States women’s national hockey team delivered a dominant performance Tuesday, February 10, defeating Canada 5-0 in a preliminary round game at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. The decisive victory, fueled by a physical game and a potent offense, strongly positions the U.S. As a favorite for the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Americans, now 4-0 in the tournament and having outscored opponents 20-1, showcased a level of play that overwhelmed the Canadians. Canada pulled its starting goaltender after the fifth U.S. Goal, a testament to the Americans’ relentless attack. The win builds on a recent history of success against their northern rivals, having outscored Canada 24-7 in four Rivalry Series victories last November and December.
Caroline Harvey, a two-time Olympian and projected top pick in the Professional Women’s Hockey League draft, continued her strong Olympic showing with a goal and two assists, following a three-point performance against Switzerland the previous night. Hannah Bilka added two goals for the U.S. Team. Abbey Murphy also contributed to the scoring effort.
The game was marked by physicality, with noticeable pushing, shoving, and checking throughout. While Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin was sidelined with a lower-body injury, the U.S. Team demonstrated that their dominance extends beyond individual matchups.
Despite a brief surge in the third period, Canada could not sustain enough pressure to challenge the Americans. U.S. Goaltender Aerin Frankel proved impenetrable, effectively shutting down any Canadian offensive attempts.
Following the game, Canada forward Julie Gosling expressed confidence in her team’s potential for a rematch, stating a belief that they could challenge the U.S. If they “bring our game and our confidence the way we know People can play.”
The U.S. Team will next face Italy on Friday, February 13.
